Communion-tray.



" A.E.HUS HCOMMUNIO Y WITNESSES INVENTOR UNITED: s'rArEs PATENT Br o."

ALEXAivDER E. BUSTED, or soU'rH roan, PENNSYLVAN IAl communion-TRAY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known 1 that. I, ALEXANDER E. Hus'rno, citizen of the United States, residing at South Fork and State of, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Communion-Trays, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of receptacles or trays generally, and more particularly to a wine cup tray to be used during the administration of communion.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a suitable tray wherein means is employed for retaining or I supporting certain of the cups in a more elevated or accessible position than the others. 7

A further object of the invention contemplates the provision of a tray of the character described, wherein a plurality'of wine cups or receptacles are supported and held in proper spaced relation, the full cups adapted to be supported within suitable openings or apertures provided for. that purpose within the tray, and the empty cups supported in a similar manner within openings of larger size, such arrangement supporting the full cups in a more elevated position than the empty, and greatly facilitating the communion service as now administered wherein an individual cup for each communicant is required.

In communion trays heretofore devised openings of one size have been provided, and in consequence it becomes very difficult to introduce the fingers and thumb to pick out a full cup or return an empty one from the tray, as suchopenings are arranged or spaced insufiiciently to permit a ready removal of the cups, so that when they are filled or emptied the cups stand in the way to impede and embarrass the administrator and communicant; and often the cup falls to the floor thus marring the service and embarrassing all concerned.

It is a still further object of my invention to overcome the aboveand various other objectionable features and provide a communion tray wherein the wine cups or receptacles are arranged and spaced sufficiently to permit ready removal thereof, and to further provide means for elevating the full cups so as. to distinguish them from the used or empty cups. 7

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct, 3, 1916. Application filed April 5, 1913. Sean No. 759,144. I

in their preferred embodiment in the accompanylng drawlngs, descrlbed 1n the followmg specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto, and form a part of this application. y

In describing my inventionin detail reference will be had tothe accompanying be readily utilized for various other purposes susceptible of its application I Referring now to the drawings, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my in vention the numeral 1 designates the top or upper section of the tray upon or within which I provide a plurality of uniformly spaced apertures or openings 2, the said openings being arranged in any convenient or artistic manner within the tray top 1. Openings 3, smaller in size than the openings 2 are formed Within the tray top 1 and arranged preferably between and in spaced relation to the said openings 2, the number of the openings 2 and 8 being the same.

To catch the Wine should the same for any reason bespilled upon the tray, a receptacle 4 is formed from any suitable material and secured in any suitable manner to the underside ofthe tray top 1, the sides 5 of the receptacle being formed integrally therewith as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In serving communion it will be noted that the-usual taperedcups or receptacles 6 are used and are supported or retained in an elevated position upon the tray 1, by fitting the said receptacles Within the smaller openings 3 provided for that purpose, thereby spacing the receptacles sufficiently apart to allow ready removal thereof by the administrator or communicant during the service. After drinking the wine contained within the cups, the latter are placed upon the tray, the cups fitting within the larger openings 2 of the top, where they are free to drop (as indicated by the numeral 7) until the top of the wine cup engages the edge of the opening. The openings 2 being larger than the openings 3 as above set forth, it will be seen that the empty cups fall or drop entirely out of the way of the elevated or full cups, thereby inno way interfering with the removal of the latter as occasion demands.

A tray constructed in accordance with my invention does away with the difficulties above set forth, and permits the communicant to obtain the full benefit of the individual communion service, and allows him to pick up his own individual cup from the small cup holder or opening, whereupon, after drinking the .wine, to replace it in the larger cup holder or opening, where it drops or sinks out of the way of the next com municant, giving him free'and easy access to the cup which is presented to him.

Although I have shown a communion tray of aparticular shape, I do not wish to limit myself to such, as various forms of tray may be equally as Well employed without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings, comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention and that various minor changes in the details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be made Within the scope of the appended claims and without sacrificing any of the advantages ofmy invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A communion tray 'for supporting tapered cups, comprising'a top having a series of alternately arranged large and small openings adapted to support the cups in elevated position in the small openings and in substantially depressed position in the large openings, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A tray for supporting tapered cups in- -eluding a body provided with alternately arranged large and small openings to receive empty and filled cups respectively, the cups carried in said small openings being appreciably above the plane of the cups in said large openings, to be readily accessible Without interference with the latter.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER E. HUSTED. Witnesses:

WILLIAM Y. BOYER, JosnPH MORRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing; the .Gommissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

